Title: A Chance at happiness 11/?
Author: Christen (purplehaysc@netscape.net)
Disclaimer: these characters belong to once and again except any characters you don't recognize
Distribution: Take it, but let me know. If you have any of my other fics, go ahead.
Comments: email me all you comments and suggestions. This is my first once and again fan fic so any ideas or comments you have would be great. So please email me with them. J
"Bye!" Lily said as Jake, the baby, Judy and Sam left.
When she closed the door, she turned to everyone obviously exhausted. She looked at Eli and Grace. "You two don't go any where's. Rick and I need to talk to both of you." Then she looked at Zoe and Jessie. "And you two need to go bed."
Jessie looked at Zoe. "Don't worry we'll find out what happened tomorrow."
"Go!" Rick said.
They both walked up stairs.
Rick turned to Eli and Grace. "Sit!"
Both Eli and Grace sit. Grace spoke up. "Personally if you two want to talk about this go ahead but I'd rather talk to my mother alone."
Rick looked at her, knowing exactly why she was doing this. "How about you two tell us what happened and then you can talk to you mother."
"Fine." She said.
"So who wants to start?" Lily said.
"I guess I will." Eli said. "Last night despite the fact that the two of you want to make it in to a big deal isn't. I went to the hospital last night…."
"And I went to the hospital also."
"Why?" Lily asked.
"To check up on him, I was just worried he wasn't ok. So I went and really he was there for so long that I missed my ride."
"And Eli had to bring you home?" Rick asked.
"Yes, I had to bring her home." Eli said.
"But why did you tell us you went to the library?" Lily asked.
"Because I didn't really think you'd wanted me going to the hospital alone at night."
"Ok, but what about the lock?" Lily asked.
"That's even easier to explain." Eli said with a smile.
"Then explain it." Rick said.
"Last night I couldn't sleep, I guess I had a lot on mine so I came into the house. That is when I heard Grace scream and I ran upstairs to make sure she was ok. She was. She had just had a bad nightmare but in the process, my lock fell off. And that's why you found in it her bed this morning." Eli said to Lily.
"That all?" Rick asked.
"Oh no we forgot to mention that Zoe and Jessie saw him trying to calm me down and that's what they were all quite about." Grace said.
"That's explains a lot." Lily said. "You know Rick, Grace if it's ok I want to talk to Eli alone for a second."
Grace looked at Eli. And he just nodded his head.
Rick looked at Grace. "And would you be ok if I talked to for you alone?"
"Sure." She said and they headed outside.
"Ok, I'm not really good with apologizes so…" Lily said.
Eli laughed. "You want help? Cause I'm an expert."
"Well, if you helped then I really don't think don't think this will count." She said.
"Ok, then go ahead."
"Eli, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have accused of doing anything to Grace it's just…."
"You love her?"
"Exactly, and I don't know why but I'm very protective when it comes to her and when I saw your lock I just…"
"You thought we slept together?"
"Yes, well no. I do not know. I know you two would never actually sleep together but for that one second I forgot who you really where."
"Who I really am?"
"Yes, I forgot that you're Eli, my step son who I love and care about. Sometimes I forget that you aren't my son."
He laughed. "You know for someone who claims they aren't good at apologizes, you really awesome."
"Thanks, I think." She said with a laugh.
"You're welcome. And you know Lily, I'm ok with you thinking of me as you son because someone times I forget you're not my mother." He said and got up. "I'm going to go now but I just have one question."
She looked up and tried to wipe away her tears. "What's that?"
"What exactly did you do with my band?"
She laughed. "I told them that you'd practice here tom and that you had a family emergency."
"Good, goodnight Lily."
'Goodnight, Eli."
"So what did you want to talk about?" Grace asked.
"Can we sit down?" Rick asked.
"Sure." Grace sat down. "So?"
Rick laughed. "You're as impatient as your mother. You know that."
"If that's what you came out here to tell me that. Then Rick, I'm going back inside."
"No, wait. I want to tell you I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For going at you in the car and screaming at you. You're right I'm not your father but I forget that sometimes you know?"
"Believe me sometimes I wish I could switch fathers but I can't." She said smiling.
"Do you accept my apology?" Rick asked.
"Yes, I do." She got and started to head inside but added one thing. "You know I meant what I said I wouldn't mind having you as a father."